Burglar-trap.



PATENTED JUNE 18, 190.7. 0. W. GABRIELSON.

BURGLAR TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 7, 1905.

alwentoz Q/Vi n one:

THE "cams PETERS co., wAsumamNjnJc.

NiTED STATES PATENT OFFIOE.

OTTO w. GABRIELSON, OF ISSAQUAH, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR F ONE- THIRD TONESTOR WESTER, OF ISSAQUAH, WASHINGTON.

BURGLAR-TRAP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 18, 1907.

Application filed September '7, 1905. Serial No. 277,413.

signed to imprison or detain a person illegally entering a house orpremises.

The object in view is the provision of means designed to encircle a bodyand to remain in its encircling condition until released by theemployment of suitable implements. This and further objects are attainedby the utilization of a chain, means for throwing the same laterally forcausing the same to encircle a body when brought into contact therewith,and means for preventing releasing of such chain. Y

The invention comprises certain other novel constructions, combinationsand arrangements of parts as will be hereinafter fully described andclaimed.

In the accompanying drawings :Figure 1 is a perspective view of a trapembodying the features of the present invention, parts being brokenaway. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail perspective view of two of the linksof the chain detached. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal, vertical centralsection taken through the parts seen in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 represents ahorizontal section taken on the plane of line 44 of Fig. 3 and lookingdownwardly. Fig. 5 represents a longitudinal section taken on the planeof line 55 of Fig. 4 and looking in the direction indicated by thearrow. Fig. 6 represents a transverse section taken on the circular lineindicated at 6-6 in Fig. 4, parts being shown on an enlarged scale andparts being broken away. Fig. 7 represents a section similar to Fig. 4of some of the last links of the chain, parts being broken away.

Referring to the drawings by numerals l' indicates any suitable shelf orother sup ort upon which rests a chain hereinafter descri ed in detail,the first link 2 of said chain being pivoted as at 2 to the said shelfor support so as to swing freely thereon. The link 2 is merely aconnecting link and may be of any ordinary construction, but theremaining links 33 of the chain are of special construction, the firstlink 3 being pivoted at its forward end by suitable pivots 44 to thelink 2. Each of the links 3, as clearly seen in Fig. 2, is approximatelyU-shaped in cross section with a central connecting web preferablydisposed vertically and flanges arranged horizontally.

Each horizontal flange of each link at its.

rear end is formed with a segmental ratchet consisting of teeth 55, andthe front end of each of the horizontal flanges of each link 3 carries apawl 6 adapted to engage the teeth 5 of the corresponding ratchet of thepreced-. ing link. The first link 3, which is pivoted as at 4 to thelink 2, need not be provided with a pawl 6 as 'the link 2 is preferablynot provided with a ratchet. The horizontal flanges of each link arepreferably made of spring material and'press outwardly so as to throwthe pawls 6 into engagement with the teeth 5 as will be clearly seenfrom Fig. 6. When one of the pawls 6 has ridden over the tooth 5 anddropped down in front of the same, the link will be held againstpivoting rearwardly. In other words, the links 3 are pivotally connectedtogether and are free to pivot forwardly causing the pawls 6 to rideover the teeth 5 but said links are not free to swing rearwardly, theengagement between the pawls 6 and the teeth 5 preventing such rearwardmovement.

The chain made up of the links 3 may, of course, be positioned at anydesired point and may be utilized as a trap for animals of anydescription or for other purposes as found desirable, but by preferenceI position the chain as indicated in Fig. 1 and, as above described,upon a suitable support 1. In the rear of the chain is preferablyarranged a suitable spring? sufficiently strong for throwing the chainas will be hereinafter described.

The spring 7 is fixed as at 8 to the wall or other support for the shelf1 and extends in the rear of the chain to a point beyond the rear endthereof and is engaged by a trip 9 and normally held straight andinactive thereby. The trip 9 is engaged by a cord or other actuatingmeans 10 which extends past a door 11 to a point 12 where the said cordis fixed. Of course, the cord 10 may be extended to any point in thepath of. movement of some object which must necessarily be kmoved inorder that the erson or animfiil to e tra ed ma ass. on ening t e door11 131511;, same will strike the cdid and swing the catch 9 upon itspivot releasing the spring 7, the free end of which immediately springsoutwardly from the wall, throwing the chain from the support 1 withsufficient velocity for causing the links thereof to pivot upon thechain having its progress impeded by some object. The pivoting ofsaid'links produces a longitudinal curling of the chain or wrappingaction thereof and if the arm of an intruder or any part of his body hasbeen struck by the chain, the chain will curl about the same and lockitself in such position as to be retained against removal. Thus theintruder is entrapped and is unable to release himself without firstreleasing the pawls 6 from the teeth 5 of the several links, whichoperation is designed to be accomplished with difliculty and only by theuse of suitable implements. person or animal may be readily entrappedand retained for a desired time insuring capture, the invention beinclearly of sufficient breadth to be applicable to trapping anythingcapable of throwing the trip 9.

It will, of course, be understood that the invention is not limitednecessarily to the any particular form of spring, as any means preferredmight be utilized for throwing the chain and for retaining the same inreadiness to be thrown when desired.

As seen in Fig. 4 most of the links of the chain have their rear wallsor vertical webs abutting so as to prevent pivotal movement of the linksrearwardly when the pawls 6'ar'e not in engagement with the pivot 5. Inother words, when the parts are in the position indicated in Fig. 6, thegreater portion of the chain must remain straight and cannot be swungbackwardly owing to'the fact of the abutment of the vertical webs of there-- spective links. However, I find that when the chain is thrown offthesame should come in contact with some small article disposed in thepath of movement of its outer end, the first few links will wrap aboutsuch article and prevent further movement of the main intermediateportion of the chain. To avoid this occurrence, which would be fatal tothe successful operation of the trap, I contemplate providing links suchas are seen in Fig. 7 at the end of the chain. As many of such links maybe provided as may be found advisable, each of said links being providedwith .pawls 6 and ratchet teeth 5 engaged thereby, but said links differfrom the intermediate links in that the rear walls or vertical webs ofthe links are cut away so that said links are free to swing rearwardlywhen the pawls are not in en agement with teeth 5. Thus when the fewIastlinks or links at the endof the chain strike some small obj ect Thus itwill be observed that a the said links are free to swing upon theirpivots rearwardly permitting the main portion of the chain pass thesmall object, the

rearwardly pivoted links following the main portion of the chain, and,when the mainportion of the chain contacts with the main object to besurrounded, the chain wraps about the same. The last links of the chainswing about and pivot freely forwardly until the pawls 6 thereof engagethe ratchet teeth 5, whereupon said last few links, as seen in Fig. .7,are locked against rearward movement the same as the remaining links ofthe chain.

It is, of course, obvious that as many of the links, such as shown inFig. 7, may be employed as desired and if preferred an entire chainmight be constructed of such links,

although, by preference only a few of such links are employed.

What I claim is 1. A trap comprising securing means capable of flexiblemovement in one direction only.

2. A trap comprising a plurality of links pivotally connected togethervand free to swing in one direction, and means for preventing said linksfrom swinging in the opposite direction.

use of any particular form of trip device or i lpivotally connectedtogether and free to 3. A trap comprising a plurality of links :swing inone direction, and means carried by said links for limitlng the sameagainst .-movement in the opposite direction.

4. A trap comprising a chain and pawl and .ratchet mechanism forlimiting the links of such chain from moving in one direction, saidlinks being left free to move in the opposite direction.

5. A trap comprising links pivotally conlnected together, each of saidlinks being U- lshaped in cross section, and the flange of each of saidlinks being arranged to overlap 'the flanges of another link at one end,means pivotally connecting said flanges together, and pawl and ratchetdevices for limiting said links against movement in one direction forleaving the same free to swing in'the opposite direction.

6. A trap comprising links pivotally connected together end for end, apawl carried by one end of each link, and a ratchet carried by thecontiguous end of the next suc- 'ceeding" link.

7. A trap comprising a plurality of links pivotally connected togetherend for end, a pawl projecting from one corner of one end of each ofsaid links, and a ratchet formed across the face of the opposite end ofeach of said links and adapted to be engaged'by the pawl of the nextsucceeding link.

8. A trap comprising links pivotally connected to each other, each ofsaid links being formed approximately U-shaped in transverse section, aratchet formed in each flange of each link at one end thereof, and apawl carried by each flange of each link at the opposite end thereof andadapted to engage the ratchet'of the contiguous link.

9. In a trap, the combination with a support, of a chain adapted to besupported thereby, means pivotally connecting said chain to saidsupport, means for retaining such chain against movement in onedirection while permitting the same to move in an opposite direction,and means for swinging said chain upon its pivot.

10. In a trap, the combination with a support, of a chain adapted to besustained thereby, means for pivotally securing said chain in position,a spring for swinging said chain upon its pivot, and means forpreventing said chain from moving in one direction while leaving the.same free to move in the opposite direction.

11. In a trap, the combination with a support, of a chain sustainedthereby, means for pivotally securing said chain, a spring fixed in therear of the chain, a trip maintaining said chain normally inactive,means for throwing said trip for releasing the spring, and means forpreventing the links of said chain from swinging rearwardly whileleaving the same free to swing forwardly.

12. In a trap, the combination with a support, of a chain pivoted to andadapted to be .sustained by said support, means in the rear tive, andmeans for preventing rearward pivoting of the links of said chain whileleaving the links free to pivot forwardly.

13. A trap comprising a chain formed of links pivotally connectedtogether said links being free to swing forwardly, means for lockingsaid links against rearward movement after forward movement thereof,some of said links being free to swing rearwardly prior to forwardmovement thereof.

14. A trap comprising a series of links pivotally connected together,some of said linksbeing formed with abutting walls designed to preventrearward pivoting thereof, saidlinks being free to pivot forwardly,means for locking said links against rearward movement after forwardpivotal movement thereof, and other of said links being pivoted to swingfreely rearwardly' prior to forward swinging thereof and means forlocking the last mentioned links against rearward movement after forwardswinging thereof.

In testimony whereof I affix mv signature in presence of two witnesses.

OTTO W. GABRIELSON. Witnesses:

GEO. W. TIBBETTs, O. A. CAMERON.

